The report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates that the Asia-Pacific region is leading the world in reforestation efforts. The achievements in forest planting over the past five years have increased forest cover and are gradually compensating for some of the natural forest area that was devastated at the end of the 20th century.
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(Image: oie.int) |
The Asia-Pacific and European continents have been recognized by the UN for their sustainable forest development rates. According to FAO data, from 2000 to 2005, the Asia-Pacific region replanted an average of 0.56 million hectares of forest each year, contributing to the recovery of 0.92 million hectares of natural forest lost annually at the end of the previous century.
Six out of the ten countries in the world with the largest reforestation areas are Asian nations, including Vietnam, India, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and China.
FAO also commended the efforts of Asia-Pacific countries in reforming forest-related laws, particularly policies regarding the allocation of forest land to households and social organizations. These efforts reaffirm the political commitments of countries in the region towards the protection and sustainable development of forests.
However, FAO has also warned that the per capita forest area in the Asia-Pacific region continues to decline, and by 2005, it was less than 0.2 hectares of forest per person. In the past five years, over 5.68 million hectares of natural forest have been destroyed for agricultural development, particularly in East Asian countries.
The alarming rate of natural deforestation, reaching 0.8 million hectares per year, contributes to the increase of harmful plant and animal species that destroy forests and agriculture, and it also poses health risks to humans. This damage is estimated to cost the region hundreds of billions of USD over the past five years.
